


A Guide to Hosting Foreign Nobles

by angelboygabriel



Series: The Hyrule Diplomacy Handguide [2]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Developing Relationships, Feels, Friendship, Gen, Let’s (Kinda) Talk About Our Feelings, Link and Zelda need therapy, Link is his best and most honest self with Sidon, M/M, Other, Platonic Zelda/Sidon, Post BotW, Prince Sidon is the Mom Friend, retrospection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:41:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28316172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelboygabriel/pseuds/angelboygabriel
Summary: Sidon gets the fright of his life when a battle-worn Link stumbles into the Domain with Princess Zelda in tow.
Relationships: Link/Prince Sidon (Implied), Zelda & Prince Sidon
Series: The Hyrule Diplomacy Handguide [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2053056
Comments: 3
Kudos: 124





	A Guide to Hosting Foreign Nobles

**Author's Note:**

> Picks up immediately after Guide to Duty!  
> There’s a whole bunch of foreshadowing and allusions for future fics in the series here, so I’m excited for you all to get to those and then go “wait... haven’t I heard or seen something like this before in Foreign Nobles?” Because the answer will be yes, you have. 
> 
> Light cw for some blood and Link continually having to remind himself that the reason he finds any excuse to hug Sidon and talk to him is purely because they’re friends... right?
> 
> Also, this isn’t a Christmas fic but you know what, y’all get it today and I hope you all have happy holidays!

  
The Domain is in an uproar as Sidon struggles to stay on top of everything that’s happening all at once as he rushes for the infirmary, Link unconscious in his arms. One minute, he had been crying and hugging Sidon, then the Hylian just... passed out.

“Your Highness! Right here!” Nuen cries out as Sidon bursts into the room from where they are hurriedly preparing a bed for Link next to Zelda. Ro rushes over to replace Nuen so they can return to fluttering around Zelda with Dante. Cato and Torfeau run into the infirmary with panicked expressions, Cato’s arms filled with the Hylian healing supplies they had on hand for travelers to the Domain, but lately usually just for Link.

“Link!” Sidon yells as the healers take him from his arms and set him down, Torfeau grabbing the prince’s arm to drag him back. “Let me _go_ , that’s my best friend!” he growls ferociously as he rips his arm from her grip, before suddenly Nuen is at his other side pulling him back again with Torfeau.

“Your Highness! We understand the Hero is important to you, and that is why you must step back so we can attend to him and the Princess!” Nuen yells, and Sidon reluctantly backs up at the doctor’s harsh tone. Sidon knows Nuen means no harm, but his nerves are frayed and all of the worried energy emanating from everyone is giving him a headache. Torfeau’s hand gentles on his arm, and he grabs her hand.

Now that he’s standing back, he can’t believe he hadn’t immediately noticed the huge gash on Link’s face and the cut on his arm. Sidon looks down at his own chest and notices that it’s covered in his blood. Torfeau follows his gazes and starts when she also sees the blood, and gasps. “My Prince! Let me help you with that!” she exclaims as she disappears momentarily before returning with a wet rag which she uses to clean his scales. Sidon looks at Zelda’s sleeping form, and judging by the way Cato is now the only one directly attending to her and dripping something blue between her lips, Link is in worse condition. Sidon wants to vomit.

He sees Link’s eyelids flutter the exact moment Nuen starts to make a panicked sound, and then the Hero is shooting straight up in place with a heaving gasp as half the nurses give screams of surprise. Something pale and green descends to whirl around Link, and Sidon passes out cold when he sees Mipha brush her hand across Link’s face.

* * *

Sidon opens his eyes to see Bazz hovering over him. “Prince!” the captain shrieks in his face, and Sidon winces as he raises a hand to his headfin. Sidon pauses a moment to take stock of his surroundings, and when he remembers what he had been doing, he lurches up.

“Where’s Link!” he demands, and Bazz steps to the side to show Link and Zelda lying in the beds next to him. The healers all seem more subdued, and Nuen offers him a strained smile when he catches their eye.

“He’s right here, Your Highness. He and Princess Zelda are in stable condition, just asleep. You three all caused quite a scare,” Bazz says with a raised eyebrow, and Sidon feels his face color in embarrassment.

“Oh Goddesses, I am so _sorry_ , I don’t know what came over me-“ Sidon babbles before Bazz sets a kind hand on his shoulder.

“No need to apologize, Prince. This has been quite the day- no one is going to judge you for anything you’ve felt or done.”

Sidon nods in understanding, but his embarrassment still doesn’t ebb.

“How are Link and the Princess?” he asks to redirect the conversation. Nuen and Cato hear his question and reply for Bazz.

“Princess Zelda is in perfectly stable condition, just tired. She will likely have several days of intermittent long sleeping periods. And Link is... well, we know Link. Somehow he’s fine too- whatever happened to him when you passed out completely healed him of all his wounds. The only thing that remains is a scar across the right side of his face,” Nuen explains.

“He might wake up any moment now, and since we’ve checked up on him he’s free to do as he pleases once he’s awake, but I’m sure we’ll bring him back tomorrow just to check up on him,” Cato adds on, and Nuen smiles at their apprentice.

The healers’ words soothe Sidon, and Sidon gets out of bed only to take a seat next to Link.

“I won’t intrude if I sit and wait with them, will I?” Sidon asks, and Nuen shakes their head at him with a kind smile.

“I’ll send Margot along with some food and a book,” Nuen says as they wave at Ro to go carry out their words.

Sidon relaxes in his seat as Cato flutters between Link and Zelda briefly, and Bazz hangs around until Sidon sends him off. The infirmary returns to its regular lull, and Margot flutters in at some point with a honey pastry and book for Sidon. It’s one of the Gerudo book of legends he loves so much, and he gets absorbed in their stories of the Twili realm after finishing the pastry until Link begins to stir.

Sidon practically drops his book as Link groans and sits up, and Sidon grabs his hand without thinking.

_Hey?_ Link signs with his free hand as he takes in Sidon, and Sidon beams at him.

“Good evening, my dear friend! I’m so relieved to see you awake agin! How are you feeling?” Sidon asks in a rush, and Link blinks slowly.

_Tired. But I feel happy... and safe._

Sidon feels so relieved at Link’s words that he leans over the bed to catch Link in a hug. Link’s strong arms hook under Sidon’s, and the prince hides his face in Link’s shoulder. M-I-S-S-E-D Y-O-U, Link spells out on his shoulder blade, and Sidon huffs out a laugh.

They shift apart, and from there Link is quick to leave his bed and make for the door. He promises Nuen to return tomorrow, and although Sidon can tell Zelda makes him uneasy, he still bends over and kisses her forehead before heading out.

Link leads them out to the Reservoir, deftly avoiding prying eyes as they both jump in. He doesn’t speak as they swim around lazily, and eventually they wind up floating aimlessly with Link snoozing lightly on Sidon’s stomach as the prince keeps them both afloat. Sidon asks once if Link wants to talk at all, but the Hero just shakes his head and Sidon is content to let them just bask in one another’s company.

Eventually the sun starts to dip below the horizon, and the two of them climb out of the lake.

_I want to head on to bed,_ Link tells him as they return to the palace, and Sidon nods in understanding as he walks Link to his quarters. _I’ll talk to you and maybe Zelda more tomorrow. I just needed today for myself,_ he elaborates, and seems almost guilty. 

“Take your time, my beloved friend,” Sidon urges. “I am simply grateful beyond belief you have returned to me safe and whole,” Sidon says, and Link gives him a quick hug.

_Thank you, Highness. See you tomorrow._

Link gives him one last hug before he excuses himself to his quarters to hide away from it all. Sidon watches as the door close behind him with a sigh, and finds Kanta on his way back to his own quarters and directs him to bring some food and extra blankets to Link’s room. Kanta nods in affirmation, and Sidon excuses himself to return to his room and release his pent-up tension with a long sigh.

Sidon struggles to unwind as he goes through the motions of his nightly routine, eventually sinking into his sleeping pool to try and rest. His mind is racing in so many directions, and it feels like he can’t turn any switches off.

Sidon floats there for who knows how long, letting seconds tick into minutes and hours.

Sleep still evades him, and he sighs as he eventually pulls himself out of his pool.

Padding softly through the now-quiet castle, Sidon slips out the main entrance and heads for Mipha’s statue as he usually does when he can’t sleep. Soft sobs reach his ears as he approaches, and when he rounds to the front of the statue, he finds Princess Zelda on her knees, crying. He’s a little surprised to see her awake and out of the infirmary, but doesn’t question it.

“Princess?” he says softly, and she whips her head up to look at him.

“Oh!” she gasps, and hurriedly tries to wipe her face and stand up. “I am so sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you!” she exclaims tearfully.

Sidon puts up a placating hand. “Please, Your Highness. You didn’t disturb me- I simply come to visit my sister sometimes when I can’t sleep.”

A confused look comes across Zelda’s face before it’s replaced with shocked recognition as she looks him up and down.

“Prince Sidon?” she asks, and he nods. Her face falls again into the expression of bone-deep sadness he had seen when he first found her. “You’re so... grown. You used to barely come up to my waist,” she says quietly, and Sidon maneuveres himself to sit down by her. She wraps her arms around herself, and Sidon is struck by how young she looks. While the hundred years had somehow seemed to affect Link even if he wasn’t conscious for them, and didn’t quite seem to age despite his obvious physical development along his journey, Zelda looked wholly removed from time. It struck Sidon as odd, but he chose not to comment on it.

“I am truly sorry my sister could not be here to celebrate your victory with you in person,” he says sincerely, and Zelda’s gaze drops. “...but I do know that she is out there, somewhere, watching over us. Have you come to seek her guidance?” Sidon asks gently, and the princess’s mouth opens as if she intends to say something, before it snaps shut and tears well up in her eyes anew. Zelda shakes her head.

“Do you... wish to talk about it?” he adds tentatively, and Zelda shakes her head again, seemingly afraid to speak lest she break. But Sidon can tell that she needs to crack, at least a little. There’s too much in her. “Well, would it be alright if I stayed here with you?” he asks, and Zelda gives a tiny nod as she sinks down to sit. Sidon lifts his arm and the princess wraps her arms around his neck to bury her face in his neck as she finally lets herself sob.

Sidon feels his heart break all over again for her and Link, and wraps her in his embrace. He can’t even imagine what she’s experienced, and if he can bring her even the smallest bit of comfort, then Sidon is happy. He runs his claws delicately through her hair, similar to the way Mipha had played with his tail when she carried him around.

“You’re safe now,” he murmurs.

Zelda cries against him until she has no more to give, but Sidon doesn’t move until her breathing has evened out and she slumps against him in sleep. He carefully scoops her into his arms and returns her to the infirmary, where he sets her back in her bed and tucks her in. Sidon hesitates a moment before leaving, ensuring she seems comfortable, before leaving the Princess to finally rest.

* * *

Cato accompanies Zelda to breakfast with Sidon, Link, Muzu and Dorephan the next morning, and things feel a bit strained.

Princess Zelda smiles kindly at Sidon as one of the cooks brings food out to all of them, and then looks at Link. The Hero struggles to meet her eyes, and Sidon frowns. Before he can ponder too much on it, his father speaks up.

“Your Highness, good morning! Let me be one of the first to say thank you and welcome to the Domain. We are more than honored to have you here, and so happy to see you are well,” the king says, and Zelda’s smile turns bashful. 

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I’m honored to be here too, and join you all finally free of the scourge of our lands.”

She has the same regal speaking inflection as Sidon, something Muzu finds rather amusing though he hides it. Zelda seems content to chat away with Muzu and Dorephan for the duration of the meal, and Link’s hands stay carefully still of words as he eats silently beside Sidon. Sidon’s father talks away about things that had happened over the course of the last hundred years, and Sidon feels a sense of pride to note that Zelda gets along with him swimmingly. They all finally finish their meal and Father and Muzu excuse themselves to Council, leaving Sidon, Link, Zelda and Cato alone as they four depart for the east wing hallways.

“Link, could I speak to you for a moment?” Zelda asks shyly, and Sidon doesn’t need to look down to see how Link freezes up.

_Sure, but I have something urgent I must speak to the Prince about first. I can come find you later,_ he replies, and Zelda ducks her head courteously.

“Very well. I’ll be seeing you, then. Prince Sidon,” she says formally as she heads off with Cato.

Prince Sidon lets Link lead the way to the prince’s quarters, and when the door shuts behind him, he flops down on Sidon’s couch and buries his face into a pillow to scream. Sidon plunks down on the opposite end and chuckles at his antics.

“What’s this urgent topic of discussion, my friend?” Sidon prompts, and Link raises his head to look at him flatly before righting himself to sit normally next to Sidon.

_It’s hard talking to her,_ Link signs. _I always feel like I’m missing something around her. I don’t know what to do._

Link’s frustration is evident in his every movement.

“It’s going to take some time,” Sidon says after pausing to think and nibble on his claw. “You’ve been apart for a hundred years, and that hundred years has changed you both, you in particular radically. I don’t think either of you fully know how to react to other, and that’s okay. It might be a while before either of you feel comfortable sitting down and talking, or being friends.”

It wasn’t what Sidon wanted to tell him, but Link deserves honest words and advice from him. Link seems to also think as much, as even though his body language still screams frustration, he nods in understanding.

_You’re right. I don’t like it, but you’re right_ , he replies, and a smile tugs at Sidon’s face.

“A prince is generally correct most of the time, yes,” he affirms, and Link grins as he shoves Sidon’s shoulder.

_You’re a huge bluff and full of shit and you know it!_ Link gestures excitedly.

“Excuse me, is that any way to talk to _royalty_ -“ Sidon scoffs before he shoves Link back twice as hard. The Hero’s grin turns wicked at that, and he stands up on the couch and shoves him even harder, causing Sidon to lose his balance somehow and give an indignant grunt. From there, they delve into a shoving match that is likely extremely unbecoming for a crown prince and legendary hero.

Sidon always underestimates how strong Link is, so when he jumps off the couch and dodges Sidon’s grabbing hands, the prince is caught completely off guard when Link gets closer to his sleeping pool until he has the perfect chance to lift the prince clean off his feet and dump him unceremoniously into the depths of his pool.

When Sidon comes back up, Link is laughing so hard that he’s crying, and Sidon seizes the chance to grab his ankle and yank him into the water with him. Link breaks the surface with a gasp, and spits water into Sidon’s face.

_Fuck you!_ he signs with another laugh.

He pulls himself out of the pool and sits on the edge, his feet still dangling in the water. Sidon props his head on his arms on the ground next to him.

Link reaches over and smoothes a hand across the length of his forehead crest, to which Sidon responds with a deep rumbly noise. The Hylian looks absolutely delighted at the noise, and starts to all but pet Sidon as if he’s a catfish, not a prince- and a shark-type prince at that. Link eventually stops his motions, and gives a little tug on one of Sidon’s headfins.

_You always seem to say exactly what I need to hear,_ Link signs. A pleased little grin crosses Sidon’s face at the praise, and he pulls himself out of the pool to sit next to Link.

“Well, it always brings me joy to know I can help you even in the slightest, and I can say this with the utmost confidence- everything gets better. Do you know why?”

Link shakes his head.

“Because I believe in you! And you’re incredible!” Sidon cheers with his signature fist pump, and Link starts laughing all over again.

They spend the rest of the day avoiding Muzu, Father and the Council, lazing around the palace as Link regales Sidon with every last detail of his journey since he last saw Sidon. Link slips away once to go see Zelda, but other than that, Link stays by his side. He and Zelda stick around the Domain for two more weeks, and by the time they leave, Sidon thinks he’s made a new friend with the Princess and something starts to ache in him even more as he has to say goodbye to Link.

Sidon watches as they cross Inogo Bridge, and already begins to count down the days until he sees Link again.


End file.
